I am having interference problems with my Direct TV system. I have the new whole house system that allows the Main DVR programs to be seen on remote receivers. When transmitting a the 100 watt level I am causing the receivers to change channels, turn off and start recording shows that havn't been selected. I have tried various filters and snap on cores without success. Direct Techs don't have a clue. This has taken me off the air when my wife wants to watch TV. My old Dish network equipment never had a problem and the Cox cable which supplies my internet doesn't have any problems. If anyone has seen this problem and have any ideas please let me know. In the meanwhile I would not advise any Ham Operator to switch to Direct as the system is useless as is.Jerry W5RCQ

Make sure all the connectors are wrench tight, splitters are grounded, etc. Dual shield coax with 100% foil braid should be used as a minimum, as should compression-type fittings. Most importantly, wall plates should be checked to make sure they aren't hex crimp on the back, and replaced if they're the typical poor quality I've found over the years in most houses. Also try disconnecting cables from the splitter one at a time and see if the problems go away.

The frequencies used are all above 500MHz, so I doubt there's any direct interference from your radio (assuming you're operating on HF). Also the fact that your cable modem is working fine would lead me away from the radio and more to ingress on the satellite cabling.

Thanks for the help, I think that the touch control panels are the source of my RFI problems as the DVR will change channels, set up different shows to be recorded and turn the receiver off by its self when I am transmitting on HF frequencies at 100 watts or less. All of these actions are as if someone had pushed the front panel buttons. Direct TV says this is all a mystery to them and that they have never had any TVI problems reported to them. Direct did send out a service tech and they changed out the Genie DVR and redid a lot of the cable connections but it did not solve my problem. I am going to look into some kind of a cage around the DVR as I don't see anyway to disconnect the touch panel controls.Thanks, Jerry W5RCQ

This may be productive to you--or it may not. Do you have any other video equipment connected to the TV by co-ax cables--such as a VCR? If so, did you use the co-ax patch cable that came with the VCR? If you did, try replacing that cable with a good double shielded cable made from the same co-ax as the cables to the TVs. Nine times out of ten if you do use the VCR supplied co-ax jumper, that is where the RF is invading the RF chain.

A break through with my RFI problems on Direct TV. I have found that if I cover the front of the DVR with aluminum foil it will reduce and in some cases eliminate the problems with the DVR turning off and changing channels etc. When covering the receiver with foil I have to be careful to not block the airflow through the vents in the sides of the DVR. I also made a hole in the front of the aluminum so the remote sensor could see the remote control. I am continuing to experiment with the foil shielding and different frequencies and power levels.Thanks for the suggestions, Jerry W5RCQ

I have one of the early DirecTV HD DVRs and had a second HD box with no RFI issues.

Recently I upgraded the second HD box to an HD DVR. It was the newer model box with the touch control panel on the front. It had the same symptoms you are describing - randomly changing the channels and turning it off when I was transmitting on HF.

I called service and had him swap it out for an older model HD DVR (w/o touch controls). After the change - NO RFI issues. The service guy said it was the first time a customer asked to exchange for an OLDER model... ;-) The model is HR22-100 that is RFI-free.

Confirms my experience. Older non-touch HD DVR from Direct-TV is 30 feet directly below MFJ-1798 vertical, no problems at even 600 watts SSB out. Newer "touch" type HD DVR from Direct-TV is further away, still 30 feet below but now 20 feet horizontal from vertical; it has problems with powers greater than about 20 watts SSB. Seldom use that hookup so ignore for most part. Direct-TV doesn't know that Amateur Radio exists.

By the way a touch control LG HD-3D and and touch control Samsung HD TV have no problems in the same locations. Just the one HD-DVR. Touch controlled 3D Blu-Ray HD player has no problems either.

I have the same problem.Just got back into ham radio after 25 years and set up a Ft 950 at 100 watts and a Buckmaster OCF, 3000 watt 7 band dipole.Ground is to the main utility ground.

The same day, since we were all on the roof, we installed Direct TV's new "Genie" system. The dipole is about 25 feet from the Direct TV dish.

First time on the air, 80 meters/ CW and SSB... the Direct TV started turning on and off constantly and switching channels. The blue ray, DVD player, started turning on and off at the same time! It sits on top of the Genie.

Bad enough my wife HATES the antenna... REALLY HATES...now she can't watch a movie while I'm on the air!!

The Genie system relys on RF signalling from the handhelds to control the feeds to the satellite televisions. So do most of the older DVR receivers that feed two TVs. The way those handheld remotes and the receivers on the Genie are, there is almost NO filtering for harmonics or any other intrusive RF signals. After all, DirecTV thinks that DirecTV is the only thing that uses RF signalling--didn't you know?

If your family doesn't use the DVRs all that much--and DirecTV still offers them--I would recommend getting separate receivers for the TVs and using VCRs for recording. To watch the program in another room, just take the VCR cassette with you. Works great--and after all, that's the way it USED TO be done!

As a side note here....I have a dipole about 50 feet from my DirecTV box... I also added ferrite beads to pretty much everything I could find right after install... I have zero RFI or box control issues... New black GENIE box. I may not have had any problems either without the beads... I tend to over use these little devels as they really help... I was destroying my stereo... Audio cable from the TV to the Stereo got a single bead on it, and problem ended...

I am quite embarrassed to admit this but what are ferrite beads and how do they work, where do you place them, how many?

where do they sell them...what cost?

I am getting back into ham radio after a 33 year gap!! Wow, I am old!

Thanks in advance,

Tom WB2JSY

No problem at all Tom,

I really just discovered them last year, after 45 years of Ham radio... They are basically the core of a transformer which allows you to feed a wire through... Here is a really good explanation of them and how to use them:

Copyright 2000-2018 eHam.net, LLC
eHam.net is a community web site for amateur (ham) radio operators around the world.
Contact the site with comments or questions.
WEBMASTER@EHAM.NETSite Privacy Statement